I'm Close... Need some help

[Reanimator13]

Been on 60mg x4 plus break through's of mscontin for 10 years now. 270-300mg a day. Got priced out of insurance. I have severe spinal issues. Now... Durring that 10 years I lost 100lbs, Beat my type 2 diabetes and kept my home because I could work. I ride my bike 15-20 miles a day. I don't regret being on mscontin. It was good to me. Well party is over... I'm down to 4 15mg a day. Still getting withdrawals from the last drop. What is the best way to ditch this last 60mg. I'm also in real pain now. Not the withdrawal induced kind. I have some xanax left but it does not help with withdrawals. I don't want anything else addictive at this point. Im thinking DLPA and some analgesic rub. Possibly a lyrica script from a friend. Was thinking of doing 2 more drops down to 2 15's a day and then cold turkey? Anyways... I'm almost there. Help me out R13

 

[oxyfen]

Congrats for getting down to 60mg's a day from your higher dose. I am prescribed 60mg's 5XD and 2-20mg's 3XD and currently tapering down on my own. I want to get to where you are for my normal dose if the pain will be tamed. Do you have any insurance or is it that the insurance company will not pay for the meds?

 

[KraziKat]

There's always kratom for a few days to help get you over the hump. Just don't make the mistakes I and many others have done by becoming dependent on it. I'd use it for 3 or 4 days as needed, then jump.

 

[Reanimator13]

My insurance doubled from 20k a year to 40k a year. Insurance is through wife and she has issues too. That leaves me in the cold. Cannot afford the pain management run around without insurance. I'm at a big wall right now. My nerve pain is back at 60mg a day. Its what I was on morphine for to begin with. I'm leveled at 60mg right now with the only discomfort being the nerve crap. When I dropped from 240 to 120 I got the withdrawals but not the nerve pain. Think I'm going to call my doc and get a lyrica script and see if it helps. Comes out of my pocket though... oooch I had a brutal night.

R13

Congrats for getting down to 60mg's a day from your higher dose. I am prescribed 60mg's 5XD and 2-20mg's 3XD and currently tapering down on my own. I want to get to where you are for my normal dose if the pain will be tamed. Do you have any insurance or is it that the insurance company will not pay for the meds?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Have you tried any other pain meds that would be easier to use and less costly than having to work with a chronic pain doctor? I'm thinking like pregabalin or gabapentin as you mentioned nerve pain. They are studying ketamine treatments for chronic pain patients, but that is likely to be pretty pricey.

A lot of chronic pain patients find methadone works well for them. It is also far less costly getting it at a clinic (around $200/month in many places). Acupuncture is also worth looking into if you can find somewhere good that isn't cost prohibitive. What kind of pain issue do you struggle with?

Regarding the withdrawal from coming off the morphine, have you considered using buprenorphine? Unless you go onto methadone for pain management, using buprenorphine along with gabapenin (or depending on you pain issues gabapentin, pregabalin or baclofen), clonidine and diazepam is highly effective at managing the acute withdrawal and helping leave you in a place where you're more prepared at managing early recovery than where you to have a really rough kick.

And congratulations on coming so far! Down to 60mg is huge!

 

[Reanimator13]

Called the doc a little while ago to call in a script of nuerontin or lyrica. I think i'm over the hump on this last drop. Finally hungry again. The full body RLS is receding. Still some pins and needles but better. Going to meet my doc on mon so will stay level at 4x15mg for now. I'm expecting the last drops to be bad.

I can handle everything but the Full Body RLS... Thats the worst. Just did two days of it. Thought I was going to loose my mind. It almost broke me.

As a side note... did 9 miles on my bike this morning with full body RLS in swing. Ride helped little even though I was not a happy camper.

I thought about methadone... last resort. It puts me back into monthly doctors visits and that whole routine. To expensive for the monthly's. Also checked market insurance... they cover 1 mscontin a day. Thats it. So im screwed.

I never abused the drug and only got high when I first started so im hoping paws will go easy. I'm not craving it. Prior to Mscontin I was on Oxycontin. I always wanted more oxy. When I transitioned I was sick for a week. Will never take oxy again. Morphine on the other hand was good to me.

Have you tried any other pain meds that would be easier to use and less costly than having to work with a chronic pain doctor? I'm thinking like pregabalin or gabapentin as you mentioned nerve pain. They are studying ketamine treatments for chronic pain patients, but that is likely to be pretty pricey.

A lot of chronic pain patients find methadone works well for them. It is also far less costly getting it at a clinic (around $200/month in many places). Acupuncture is also worth looking into if you can find somewhere good that isn't cost prohibitive. What kind of pain issue do you struggle with?

Regarding the withdrawal from coming off the morphine, have you considered using buprenorphine? Unless you go onto methadone for pain management, using buprenorphine along with gabapenin (or depending on you pain issues gabapentin, pregabalin or baclofen), clonidine and diazepam is highly effective at managing the acute withdrawal and helping leave you in a place where you're more prepared at managing early recovery than where you to have a really rough kick.

And congratulations on coming so far! Down to 60mg is huge!

 

[Jabberwocky]

Yes, methadone would involve more hassle - well at least as much hassle - if you were to get it from a MMT clinic as opposed to the chronic pain clinic.

That's good you'll have some gabapentin or pregabalin handy soon, it should really help with the RLS. Do you know which one's you'll be getting? Gabapentin is the standard for dealing with opioid withdrawal, but many find pregabalin also works really well.

That is a superb idea to let your system even itself out after the recent drops you've been making. When I was tapering off methadone I made sure to allow for 2-4 weeks after some of the drops, or at least waiting until my system righted itself before continuing on. That I think is definitely one of the tricks to tapering. Taking one's time I mean.

 

[Reanimator13]

Thanks for the clinic info. That never even occurred to me. Going to call tomorrow and see what services are offered. At least i have an out now of some kind.

Morphine drops hit fast. I thinks its because of the short half life. If I drop today im sick tomorrow and several days after. I dropped friday and then monday. That I believe at this point was too fast and gave me a real hard hit.

Its definitely receding thank god. Made it through another round. Actually drove to the store this afternoon and picked up some icy hot, 90% chocolate ( tired of spinach ) and some fruit. Going to do 7-9 miles on my bike in a few for some free dorphins.

THANK YOU GOD for giving me the strength not to take a break through or a 30 when I wanted too soooooo bad. I made this hump... Whoo friggen hooo.

Doc did not call in anything... So much for a pain contract and a call saying I need help. Option B... calling a friend who can call it in. Really %$^&$# me off.

Thanks again for the advise on the clinic and yes i'm going to level here for a week or two and give my bod a break before dropping the rest.

R13

Yes, methadone would involve more hassle - well at least as much hassle - if you were to get it from a MMT clinic as opposed to the chronic pain clinic.

That's good you'll have some gabapentin or pregabalin handy soon, it should really help with the RLS. Do you know which one's you'll be getting? Gabapentin is the standard for dealing with opioid withdrawal, but many find pregabalin also works really well.

That is a superb idea to let your system even itself out after the recent drops you've been making. When I was tapering off methadone I made sure to allow for 2-4 weeks after some of the drops, or at least waiting until my system righted itself before continuing on. That I think is definitely one of the tricks to tapering. Taking one's time I mean.

 

[Jabberwocky]

That is great you're going so strong! Staying occupied is key, and it sounds like you've got a good rhythm going.

It makes sense that the drops would hit you pretty hard, given it's half life like you said. And I always found morphine to have a more physical component to the withdrawal symptoms than newer opioids. Spending some time to stabilize while you figure out some alternatives sounds like a good idea.

Nothing is more frustrating than dealing with an inattentive doctor when in need. I hope you're able to figure something out. Icy Hot is awesome after a hot shower or bath to deal with restlessness stuff (I prefer Tiger Balm, but it's essentially the same thing).

You can also look into another RLS medication called ropinirole.

 

[JerryBlast]

I can handle everything but the Full Body RLS... Thats the worst. Just did two days of it. Thought I was going to loose my mind. It almost broke me.

I am totally with you there. I am 16 days clean from heroin and the hardest part for me was the RLS. I was dying from that in all ways you can imagine.

 

[Reanimator13]

12 drops now... I can imagine. Its bad. I have slept maybe 3 hours in 2 days. Its like your some kind of twitching marionette. Your arms are twitching. Your legs. Loud ringing in your ears that will not go away. Nerves are firing all through your body. Nothing helps. sweats. chills. aches. You think your going mad. You want to die. Am I dieing?

I have 3 more drops to do ( Call it 9 sick days )... not looking forward to it but thats life. Suck it up and go on. It does get better.

Grats on 16 days and making it through. Shows alot of GRIT.

R13

I am totally with you there. I am 16 days clean from heroin and the hardest part for me was the RLS. I was dying from that in all ways you can imagine.

 

[oxyfen]

I can handle everything but the Full Body RLS... Thats the worst. Just did two days of it. Thought I was going to loose my mind. It almost broke me.

OMG I don't know what it is about the RLS but it will make me cringe with anger, I found that oxycodone really eliminates it completely. Did the Oxy not control your RLS?

 

[Jabberwocky]

I think the point was that the RLS is bad because they are in opioid withdrawal. I have a feeling taking oxycodone would remedy that particular problem, if in a way.

 

[Reanimator13]

Yep... taking any opiate im sure would eliminate the symptoms. Whats the point though... You would just have to go through it again at a later date.

Update... My doc called in gabapentin last night from her home. Pharmacy did not bother to call and let me know. Feeling better this morning. Slept 8 hours last night with a few wake ups. Still have some nausea/diarrhea. Most of the nerve crap is gone. Still have a bit though. my pain level is low/mod. I'm dealing so far.

Going to fill the Gab and start it a few days before finishing this. Giving myself two weeks to heal up first

Thanks for the Advice Tooth. It helped.

Will update this thread when I start the next drop. May help someone else.

R13

I think the point was that the RLS is bad because they are in opioid withdrawal. I have a feeling taking oxycodone would remedy that particular problem, if in a way.

 

[Reanimator13]

Wanted to post a quick follow up. I did end up calling some clinics. Explained my situation. No help there. So that avenue is closed. Its kind of warped... Follow the rules and get kicked to the curb. Break em and you get help.

As for me im on day 4 from my last drop. Got the benzo kick back yesterday and had issues sleeping last night. Last 2 days have been weird. I'm now on 15mg mscontin 4x daily. When they kick in I get about 2 hours of no nerve stuff and then 4 hours of nerve tingling. Still getting some sneezing too. Feeling better though...

R13

Edit - Feels kind of like my body is going in and out of mini withdrawals. Like it cannot figure out how its supposed to feel.

 

[Jabberwocky]

What happened when you talked to the clinics? Do they not treat chronic pain patients (some do, some don't - I actually think it's mostly a licensing thing)?

Has the gabapentin helped at all? Sometimes larger doses than what is prescribed is necessary.

What you describe your body going through definitely sounds like the tail end of a short acting opioid taper. That is why longer acting meds like buprenorphine and methadone are suggested, as there isn't (or at worst there is less of it) that constant going in and out of awareness of withdrawal.

 

[Reanimator13]

I'm back to pretty much normal now. Body has leveled out at the low dose. Side effects are gone. All nerve stuff has ceased. I did not take any Gabapentin yet. keeping it in reserve for the last drops. I don't think I will need it at this point but its nice to have just in case. Taking 2 weeks off before finishing this.

Clinics said they were for drug abuse and counseling and did not take pain management folks. I personally do not see a difference between my self and someone self medding for issues in their life. We are all in the same boat just the reasons and pain may be different. Oh well...

I'm good right now though... In real pain but stable and functional. No depression.

Dropping 60mg of morphine a day should be cake after what I have already done...

R13

What happened when you talked to the clinics? Do they not treat chronic pain patients (some do, some don't - I actually think it's mostly a licensing thing)?

Has the gabapentin helped at all? Sometimes larger doses than what is prescribed is necessary.

What you describe your body going through definitely sounds like the tail end of a short acting opioid taper. That is why longer acting meds like buprenorphine and methadone are suggested, as there isn't (or at worst there is less of it) that constant going in and out of awareness of withdrawal.

 

[Reanimator13]

I will post here when I start my final taper off. I'm curious how my body is going to react. Going to drop by 15 every 4-5 days till its gone. Right now the 15mg er's don't seem to be doing anything. I feel no effect at all.

 

[Reanimator13]

Wanted to post one more thing. As weird as this may sound that 2 days of full body rls and pain I think was good for me. I'm kinda glad I experienced it. It reset something in my head. Its like I needed it to be okay. Weird!!!

 

[Jabberwocky]

Great to hear this was a positive experience. And that is smart to save the gabapentin for down the road, it'll be more effective that way.